The Underclocking Thread

[tuomoz]

Hi, I think that we should make a thread where you could post your underclockings on all software available for gp2x. Underclocking saves our batterys a lot and many programs work fine on smaller values than 200 mhz. So here is all programs that I have tired to underclock:

Nethack: 50 mhz, a bit slow when changing levels but otherwise perfect.
Bare Fist Figther: 100 mhz, works perfectly
Wind And Water: Puzzles Battles: 150 mhz, works perfectly
Beat 2x: 150 mhz, works perfectly
Nethack: 50 mhz
Hex-a-hop: 180 mhz, works perfectly
Nethack: 50 mhz
Spout: 150 mhz, works perfectly
Ghostpix: 150 mhz, works perfectly
Nethack: 50 mhz
Scummvm: 160 mhz, works perfectly in most games
Built-in ebook reader: 50 mhz, works perfectly
gmu: 150 mhz, works perfectly
Duke nukem: 170 mhz, some random lag but allmost perfect

I will update the list when I try some more

Sorry for my bad english

 

[NoZ]

You said Nethack 4 times.

PowerSlide - 100Mhz

 

[PokeParadox]

I created the exact same thread a while back actually.

The results from that were used on the GP2X Standards site.

 

[sensible GP32]

personally i just thought you really liked nethack

 

[mdinire]

I created the exact same thread a while back actually.

The results from that were used on the GP2X Standards site.

fantastic

But Picodrive and DrMD can run pretty damn well at 133mhz (from what I remember and with low settings)

 

[PokeParadox]

Yep you're correct. The results for that PicoDrive are from an earlier version... the list needs updating as you can see

 

[Alex.]

Airplyr - 175mhz
Downfall - 150mhz

I gave Gmenu2x a try today, and it has improved a lot since the last time I used it. I think I'll (once again) switch to it

- Alex

 

[slaanesh]

Spout seems to be originally written for a Japanese PDA/gaming device known as the P/ECE, AKA PIECE.
It's a Palm-like device with a 32-bit, ~3.3Mhz processor with a 128x88 4-greyscale screen!
The GP32 version is clocked at a mere 22Mhz and has no problems running it.

@tuomoz: I want to see it running much lower than 150Mhz!!!

 

[imhotep]

I run PrDoom at 166MHz and it's great! Haven't tested lower yet.

 

[DBH]

You can run spout as low as 50Mhz probably even lower.

 

[tuomoz]

@tuomoz: I want to see it running much lower than 150Mhz!!!

Yeah, I thought that it would run fine at 50-100 mhz, but its wery slow even at 100 mhz... I don´t really understand how it is possible because it´s so simple game.

 

[PokeParadox]

maybe you have the older release of it. There was an update to spout that used hardware SDL That version still runs fine at 50MHz

 

[slaanesh]

maybe you have the older release of it. There was an update to spout that used hardware SDL That version still runs fine at 50MHz

If you compare it to the GP32 version, what's going on. I mean really?

The GP32 version is fullspeed at 22Mhz! The GP2X version needs to be clocked @ 50Mhz with hardware acceleration to do the same thing? Something's wrong :-/

 

[Alex.]

maybe you have the older release of it. There was an update to spout that used hardware SDL That version still runs fine at 50MHz

If you compare it to the GP32 version, what's going on. I mean really?

The GP32 version is fullspeed at 22Mhz! The GP2X version needs to be clocked @ 50Mhz with hardware acceleration to do the same thing? Something's wrong :-/

Couldn't that small difference be caused by the Linux+SDL overhead?

- Alex

 

[lapoubelle]

How many games/apps set the CPU speed themselves? And how do you know if that's happening?

It seems that with some games, espicially the preloaded ones, on my gp2x (firmware 3.0) no matter what I set the speed to, they run the same.

 

[PokeParadox]

maybe you have the older release of it. There was an update to spout that used hardware SDL That version still runs fine at 50MHz

If you compare it to the GP32 version, what's going on. I mean really?

The GP32 version is fullspeed at 22Mhz! The GP2X version needs to be clocked @ 50Mhz with hardware acceleration to do the same thing? Something's wrong :-/

I dunno, I think I may have got scared to clock any lower. It probably works fine a bit lower.^^

 

[Burbruee]

Sorry for bumping a topic almost a year old, but if the topic creator is still interested, maybe this could be updated?

I did some tests earlier with what I have on my SD-card. I can't access my harddrive at the moment so I don't have much things on there, but here's what I have:

QUOTE
==============
EMULATORS
==============

fba2x - 220 MHz, DoDonPachi tested, might be possible to lower to 200 MHz without any problems.
DrMD (SMS) - 90 MHz, 44100 Hz, 60 fps. (Golden Axe Warrior tested)
gpfce (NES) - 143 MHz, 22050 Hz, 60 fps. (Mega Man, Mario Bros, Final Fantasy tested)
Picodrive (MD) - 167 MHz, 22050 Hz, 60 fps. (Sonic, Phantasy Star IV, Gunstar Heroes tested)

Squidgesnes
-- Aladdin - 250 MHz, 44100 Hz, 45 fps
-- Rockman X3 - 250 MHz, 22050 Hz, 60 fps (most of the time, but in some areas can drop as low as 1 fps. (the star-shaped miniboss on one level))
-- Bomberman 5 - 170 MHz, 22050 Hz, 40 fps (enough for this type of game)
-- Chrono Trigger - 250 MHz, 22050 Hz, 60 fps (probably drop later on in the game; future world map)
-- Donkey Kong Country (PAL) - 220 MHz, 22050 Hz, Raster: frame, 50 fps.
-- Donkey Kong Country 2 (PAL) - 250 MHz, 11025 Hz, Raster: frame, 47 fps. (level 2: Disable layer 3 (x-button) 50 fps.)
-- Donkey Kong Country 3 (PAL) - 250 MHz, 22050 Hz, Raster: frame, 50 fps. (level 1: Disable layer 1 (a-button) 50 fps.)
-- Earthbound - 200 MHz, 22050 Hz, 40-60 fps.
-- Gradius 3 - 230 MHz, 22050 Hz, Raster: frame, 45-60 fps.
-- Harvest Moon - 220 MHz, 22050 Hz, Raster: frame, 60 fps.
-- The Legend of Zelda: A link to the past (PAL) - 200 MHz, 22050 Hz, Raster: frame, 50 fps.
-- Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse - 220 MHz, 11025 Hz, Raster: frame, 45-60 fps.

==============
HOMEBREW
==============

Vektar (demo) - 150 MHz, full speed.
Sqdef 1.2 - 130 Mhz, appears to run fine wave 45/45 lots of tower built, didn't try lower clockspeed.
opentyrian - 166 MHz, runs fine. Didn't try lower.
noiz2sa - 170 MHz, perfectly playable, add another 5-10 MHz if you feel it's too slow.

==============
OTHER
==============
MP2X - 80 MHz (for PocketDivxEncoded files in 320x240 resolution)



As I only have 1800 mAh GP Ni-Mh batteries at the moment I'm interested in lowering clockspeed when possible for all games on my GP2X to get some extra minutes out of them.
If you have more to add, please, don't be scared of posting.